The Finish Line
by flawsinscience
Summary: AddisonMarkDerek relationship, with complications. NEW!


Hey y'all! It's been a long time since I've written Grey's anything- we can blame a real life and writers block for that. But I've toyed with this recently, during my holidays and thought it was time to share. As always I love feedback, good or bad. X

_Disclaimer: I only own Katie, the rest are Shonda's- honest! _

Not ever fool in town would've left by now

I can't replace all the wasted days

-Matchbox 20

1. Last Beautiful Girl

_Rain splattered around the couple sharing a passionate hug outside the Airport, her bags piled at their side as he let his lips implore her again, impressing her taste, scent, feel on his mind as she pulled away biting back a smile as they looked at the clock. _

"_My flight's boarding now," toying with a strand of his deep brown hair she let him take her again, tugging her in for one last hug, holding her tight as if her rag-doll face were away to break. _

"_It's only the holiday sweetheart, and chances are I'll be upstate, never know," she failed to fight the smile engorging her lips as he lifted her bag from the dirtying floor._

"_You're cousin still owes me one Katie," his wink made her giggle slightly, tingling her heart with drabbles of hurt. Slowly she crossed the crowds of people turning back to give him one more look as the security guard stole the passport gruffly from her hands…. _

"_I'll…call…you" she mouthed the words slowly, flicking her hair out of the way, grabbing the kiss he'd blown over the heads of various business men looking as haggard as the next. _

The door opened as Addison failed to look up at the visitor, if she were concentrating it'd take a terrorist threat to stop her. Either that or the words "mom" spouting from a tall slender brunette standing with her hands akimbo on her hips as her cardigan lay loose over her hands.

"Katie, sweetheart I totally forgot ….. crap I was meant to pick you up from the airport," Addison mumbled excuses as she moved round the table to great her daughter, "wow, you've lost weight," the comment came in jest as the mother and daughter shared a close embrace, sliding apart as quickly as they'd come together.

"Yeah, the college gym rocks," biting her lip Katie took up seat on the leather sofa's in the corner of her mom's office. "slip your mind I was coming, right?"

"Well I am the most wanted ob/gyn on the west coast," Addison gave a sneaky smile as she plonked herself on the matching armchair, "…and I'm a mom, so come on how's school, gossip"

"School's amazing, the tutors are really great and the works manageable," Katie smiled weakly as she toyed with the bottom of her cardigan, bunched in her sweating palms as she attempted to gather a flutter of strength to tell her mom the one thing she'd come out to Seattle for. It was a short stop and she knew it because every holiday was spent in Connecticut with Derek's parents. "So how are you and dad getting on? You've sorted everything out I hope?" Slowly she let her breath equalise as the distraction sent Addison into turmoil. The thought of explaining the divorce to Katie was bad enough but, doing it within seeing her daughter for the first time in four months unsteadied her façade further.

"Well we aren't at each others throats if that's what you mean?" Addison nodded stoically, the memory of signing the divorce papers still vividly playing back like a movie trailer. A faulty glimpse into her new life of the single, give or take a couple of nights she'd indulged Mark's company. It bode only for lonely nights in the townhouse she'd bought weeks ago.

"I suppose it's progress, so umm… when you finished, I'm kinda whacked from travelling," sighing Katie felt her heavy, aching body relax into the couch, her joints seizing and relaxing as a flurry of nerves washed over her.

"Well with any luck I'll be out by six, think you can hang on till then?" Addison looked hopeful as her pager began vibrating on her belt. "Crap, sorry- I've got to run, have them page dad if you get bored. Not sure when he'll be done though?"

"Mmm-kay, try not to be too late mom," Gently kissing her daughter's head Addison quickly exited the room leaving Katie to it, her office tidy bar the desk, covered in papers, Addison's scribbles neatly adorning several case files, "I'm not gonna get out of her till 10 if she's got all these cases on," her muse was interrupted by a sharp rasp at the door, imitating her mom's best voice Katie beckoned the owner in.

"Katie?" Mark looked astonished as his God daughter practically ran across the office to greet him. Their hug filled with a father-daughter relationship struck from Derek and he being best friends. "It's been what, four months at college and already you're like a waif,"

"Yeah Uncle Mark, it's called a gym? And y'know it's not the eighties anymore," giving him the cutest butter-wouldn't-melt smile as he loitered besides the door, Katie fetched a cup of coffee from the stand on the other side of the office, "you and Derek reconciled yet?" she asked in a genuine tone as she felt the uplift of caffeine pump through her veins.

"Well we're not at each other's throats," Katie gave him a coy smile as he feigned a protest "what!"

"Mom said exactly the same thing, you three are like big kids, that grew up and dragged me along with you," smirking she turned away from Mark, neatly closing the open files till she they lay in a neat pile.

"Dragged? Katherine Lydia Shepherd-Montgomery, you were not dragged up, you were brought up by Derek, which I suppose is the same thing," smirking she made to protest as she watched Mark don a smile too, shaking his head at the memories spilling into his mind of the once, and only time Addison had left the two of them to look after a four year old kid.

"So you're remembering _that_ weekend too I take it?" placing the empty cup in the trash she found her gaze drawn to the pile of photographs sitting on her mom's desk.

"Oh yeah, I think Nancy was called about two hours in," wiping the dust off the wooden frame capturing her as a two year old Katie coughed in mock amusement.

"Oh come on Uncle Mark don't give yourself that much credit, really," rolling her eyes Katie danced back across the room, "did you hear Kathy sent Nancy over here to check up on dad, I'm repeating myself here I think- it's like kindergarten again," Mark sighed and lent his head on the doorjamb.

"Yeah well Derek's the only boy, he can't really cope by himself, can he?" slowly bringing her hands out of a spin Katie stopped just short of his feet.

"Nope," smiling again she set her hands akimbo on her hips, giving him a cheeky glare. "Oh look," catching her dad's running figure along the corridor she waited for him to stop at the door. He didn't. Carrying on past Addison's office she let her face flop like a lead balloon.

"I know I'm technically not his kid, but really?" flopping neatly onto the sofa Mark sat down next to her, placing a reassuring hand over her shoulder.

"Derek's in a weird place right now munchkin, give him space. Anyway I doubt Addison would have him paged," Mark match his reassurances with a smile.

"They're not getting on hugely well are they?" stifling a yawn Katie cuddled in closer to the second father figure in her life as he pulled his arms round her for a tight hug.

"The divorce was filed weeks ago," as they sat in companionable silence Katie heard the un-mistakable tinkle of her cell go off. Making a dive for it she smiled uncontrollably answering the phone. "Just don't expect happy families"

"Hey baby?" Mark's ears immediately pricked up, if anyone was being called baby by his god-daughter he'd have to be vetted by the national security at least- the thought made him chuckle as Katie held her hand over the speaker. "Oi, gimmie a minute alone," opening the door Mark trudged into the corridor. He took his time to close the door watching Katie float round the office like a love struck puppy.

"How's she doing?" the question was voiced from a weary looking ex-best friend. "I was gonna say hi"

"Then why didn't you," Mark grumbled, moving towards the nurses station to pick up a chart he needed, "she's pissed at you for that stunt Derek, and she's gonna need a pretty sizeable explanation."

"But-" Derek fixed him with a gaze as the two stood motionless, only feet apart, yet miles lay between their friendship.

"Someone she calls baby just called," raising an eyebrow Mark moved to block Derek's path as he protested the protective father routine, "you can get meddle with her later. Sort your own stuff out first, besides as god-father. I'm sorta allowed to get the 411 on baby first, right?"

"This is why I dislike you Mark, really dislike you" Derek pouted in a fleeting glance at their past relationship.


End file.
